How much will it cost? Can I get landline and TV?

The price of a contract can vary, according to provider, the type of technology used to deliver the service, the headline speed of the package, any extra features or bundled products, the length of the contract, and whether there are installation fees. It’s important to think about the monthly cost as well as any upfront charges.

One way to decide if the price and package is right for you is to use a price comparison website. Ofcom accredits price comparison services that are transparent, accessible, accurate, comprehensive and up to date, and all our members must list their deals from cheapest to most expensive (across the whole contract). See a list of accredited websites.

What speed will I get?

It’s impossible to know exactly what speeds you will experience because it can be affected by many things. Providers who are signatories to the broadband speeds codes of practice will give you a speed estimate on their website and at the point of sale. Price comparison websites can also tell you what speed tiers are available in your area, and Ofcom’s broadband coverage checker will indicate what maximum speed you might get.

Would other customers recommend them?

There’s nothing quite like knowing what existing customers think of a provider. We askedcustomers whether they would be likely to recommend their current provider*, and here are the results:

How many customers complain?

If you know that current customers don’t have much of a reason to complain, you might be more confident about taking a new service with a new provider. We looked at how many people complained directly to Ofcom about providers in 2018:

How quickly can I speak to someone if I have a problem?

If something does go wrong, it might be important to you to talk to someone as quickly as possible and for this to be an easy process. We asked providers to tell us how quickly their customers can talk to an agent and how many people hang up while they’re waiting:

How well will my complaint be handled?

It’s not just important that you can get through to your provider easily – it’s also vital that you’re happy with how they deal with any problems. We asked people how satisfied they were with how their complaint was handled:

How can I improve my speed?

You can also think about upgrading to the next speed tier, or switching to a faster technology like full fibre.

Ofcom is working to ensure that all customers will have access to a speed of at least 10Mbps. Find out more about the universal service obligation.

From 15 February 2020, broadband, phone and pay-TV customers must be told about their provider’s best deals when their initial contract is coming to an end, and every year after that if they remain out of contract.